Blog

A Kahukōwhai for Winter

On Saturday we had a warm and sunny day, which enticed me and the butterflies outside. I packed a bag with laptop and sketchbook, made a cup of tea, and took my camera… just in case. A kahukōwhai (yellow admiral butterfly) was enjoying what the garden had to offer, and also chose my bag as…

by Z. R. Southcombe

In Search of Monarchs

This November, I will be holding a photography exhibition at the Dunedin Botanic Gardens gallery space. I’ve called it Wings (like my calendar) and it will feature larger-than-life portraits of butterflies from around my district. I have a few photos collected now to choose from, covering the southern blue, kahukura, kahukōwhai, copper (plus the day-flying…

by Z. R. Southcombe

A Weekly Dose of Nature

Today I have officially released my first Substack newsletter! You can read the letter here, or keep reading to find out a bit more about it and how it came to be. I have been enjoying the process of writing my garden memoir so much. 😍 And now, we’re three seasons in, and I find…

by Z. R. Southcombe

Artist Date: Monarch Sunset Cruise

I have been looking forward to the Wild Dunedin events this year as every year something has come up and I haven’t been able to attend yet (Covid lockdowns, a friend’s wedding, and my exhibition in Ōtautahi/Christchurch). The festival is officially 14-23 April, so the week ahead is going to be PACKED with events for…

by Z. R. Southcombe

Exploring Waitaki: Elephant Rocks

Before moving to the Waitaki District, I didn’t even know that the region existed! It’s essentially North & East Otago, up to the Canterbury border. After thirty-odd years in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland it’s a really big change: from urban sprawl and native bush, to wide open landscapes and agricultural pastures. While I lived in the North…

by Z. R. Southcombe

Exploring Waitaki: Nenthorn

A couple of weekends ago our camera club went for a drive to Nenthorn, an old town from the goldmining heydays. We’re lucky enough to have a member who knows the area – and history – like the back of his hand, and he put together an informative tour for us. It was a real…

by Z. R. Southcombe